Press release

NASEKOMO and REINARTZ Sign Strategic Partnership to Industrialize Insect Bioconversion Technology Worldwide

Collaboration combines advanced automated insect rearing platform with 170 years of German engineering expertise to accelerate global scale-up

Neuss, Germany / Lozen, Bulgaria, 24 February 2026 – NASEKOMO, a European biotechnology company specializing in industrial insect bioconversion systems, and REINARTZ – a German mechanical engineering company with more than 170 years of experience in plant engineering and mechanical separation process technologies, have signed a strategic partnership agreement to accelerate the industrial-scale deployment of insect bioconversion solutions worldwide.

The agreement sets the basis for a long-term technological and commercial collaboration focused on scaling the industry through a bioconversion technology, developed by NASEKOMO – Automated Insect Rearing Beds & Bots (AIR2B). The platform, an innovative technology inspired by vertical farms, redefines the industrial insect farming through deep-substrate rearing, robotics and full environmental control — all without the use of crates. Under the partnership framework, the two companies will jointly work on the platform’s commercialization and global deployment.

Combining Automated Rearing Technology with Industrial Processing Expertise
Beyond its long-standing expertise in mechanical separation technologies, REINARTZ supports industrial insect bioconversion projects with robust downstream processing solutions. The company specializes in processing dried larvae into protein meals, oils and fertilizer fractions at industrial scale, with a strong focus on operational reliability and maintainability.

REINARTZ enters the partnership with its industrial engineering, manufacturing, and global sales capabilities while NASEKOMO contributes its proprietary insect bioconversion platform, deep expertise in automated insect rearing systems, and hands-on operational experience from running industrial-scale insect production environments. Over the past years, NASEKOMO has developed and validated a full-stack bioconversion system — combining biology, robotics, automation, and data — designed explicitly for industrial deployment, repeatability, and scalability. This systems-level approach positions the company among the few players globally capable of moving insect bioconversion beyond pilot projects toward standardized industrial infrastructure.

Industrializing Insect Bioconversion at Scale
Although the insect bioconversion has moved from experimental pilots to commercial proof points across Europe and beyond, the sector still faces a key challenge: while biology works, the technology is not yet easy to manufacture, deploy, and maintain at industrial scale. The partnership between REINARTZ and NASEKOMO directly targets that challenge and aims to turn insect bioconversion from a promising niche into a profitable industrial solution. It also reflects the broader pressure on global food and feed systems – the intense protein markets, the regulatory pressure on waste streams, and rising demand for circular solutions. Insects offer one of the most efficient biological mechanisms for converting low-value biomass into usable protein, oils, and fertilizers — but only if the underlying technology can operate on a scale.

REINARTZ contributes not only hardware and manufacturing capabilities, but also comprehensive process engineering and consulting expertise, from system design and scale-up to automation and lifecycle support. This integrated approach helps customers reduce technical risk, optimize operating costs, and accelerate commercial deployment.

“The insect industry does not lack innovation or market demand,” said Marc Bolard, co-founder and CEO of NASEKOMO, “What it needs is proven industrial-grade technology — systems that can be produced consistently, operated efficiently, and integrated into existing food, feed, and waste-processing value chains across the globe.”

“We believe this collaboration shows how partnerships between like-minded companies are essential for building sustainable and successful ventures in emerging industries”, said Artur Kühl, Managing Partner and CEO of REINARTZ.

While the partnership with NASEKOMO represents an important step in advancing insect rearing technologies, REINARTZ continues to operate as an independent engineering partner and leading supplier for dry insect rendering, developing tailor-made solutions based on each customer’s technical, economic and regulatory requirements. This approach ensures future-proof system architectures, regardless of specific technology platforms or partnership frameworks.

Both companies view the partnership as a way to reduce time-to-market, improve capital efficiency, and create repeatable, standardized solutions for customers across food and feed, which bring profitability to the respective market players.

Press release NASEKOMO and REINARTZ Sign Strategic Partnership to Industrialize Insect Bioconversion Technology

REINARTZ in the Spotlight: International Trade & Innovation!

The local Chamber of Industry and Commerce IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein has featured us in their new video series “Export-Region Mittlerer Niederrhein” (Local Export-Region) – and we are thrilled to be part of it!

As a globally operating company, we rely on innovative technologies, quality and sustainable solutions to successfully export our machines worldwide. For us, international trade is not just an economic factor but a real opportunity for the future!

🎬 Watch the video here: YouTube Link

Norinsect x Reinartz

We are very pleased to announce our first insect project in 2025. Our long-standing customer Norinsect from Norway is expanding its production with our technologies.

Norinsect processes mealworm larvae into high-quality products: Insect protein and Insect fats for animal feed.

We are proud to support Norinsect in scaling up their production and together contribute to a greener future. We look forward to continuing our collaboration!

Insects to Feed the World 2024

Insects to Feed the World is just around the corner. Meet our team Artur Kühl and David Tornow in Singapore next week (Booth S13) and talk about how REINARTZ can help you to maximize your yields in insect processing.

Don’t miss Artur Kühl speak on Friday, June 21st at 10:50 am (MYT) about “From the idea to an operative protein plant: Planning approach & best practice from the project management perspective” (Garnet 219 | 03.O.02).

SUSTAINABLE AND ECONOMICAL: REINARTZ MAKES IT HAPPEN

A research project on the recycling of MDF boards shows that sustainability and efficiency can work hand in hand. Involved in this project is our screw press model MST 04 used for mechanical pressing of pieces of compressed wood free of glue. The result: dry wood fibres usable for manufacturing new MDF boards and furniture! It’s great that once again we contributed to getting a sustainable value-added cycle going.

All-Around-Performance-Service

Throughout the processes, REINARTZ works like a docked technical department, from whose all-round service performance our customers benefit: thanks to many years of experience in a young industry, due to numerous plant implementations of various sizes and services, based on our leading know-how.

We are pleased to accompany our customers through our sustainable, cost-efficient after-sales service. You have questions, we have the right answers and corresponding services for your needs. Our all-around performance service enables you to participate reliably, optimally and as quickly as possible in the insect meal production by pressing methods.

HANSE-PREIS 2019

We are delighted to receive the award from the Hanse Society in 2019. Delegations from politics, business, trade and The Hanseatic Society joined the award ceremony in our production hall and congratulated. It awards the Hanse Price 2019 to a Neuss company that operates successfully with leading know-how, characterized by international, cosmopolitan relations.

Our plant technologies and separation processes inspire all over the world, they and our services are unique worldwide. The Hanse Price is a recognition of our constant work and development.

The technologies, which are always precisely geared to the respective starting materials, are second to none in terms of features, performance and results. By retrieving our portfolio of services, we are even in our most recent business unit, namely the recovery of protein from insect larvae for an efficient production of animal feed, one of the leading national and international providers.

Our employees successfully assist and support our customers on site: from Brazil to South Korea, from Canada to South Africa. The leadership pressing processes and the excellent, profound know-how of REINARTZ from the Hanseatic city of Neuss in research, development and the individual production processes, enjoy high reputation across all sectors.

NEW BUSINESS MODEL WITH BIOMASS

We make sustainability profitable. So far, the pineapple stems and leaves have been left unused on the plantations in Costa Rica: an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes with fatal consequences for agriculture. Cows were so stressed by the plague of mosquitos that they thinned and gave only a little milk. Calves died, only a few were born.
Thanks to the REINARTZ separation process, the remnants of the pineapple harvest are made economically usable, among others by pressing the biomass on site in Limón. The plant is about to be completed in our production facility in Neuss. As part of a promising project funded by KFW DEG, press juice and press cake will be produced from the pineapple stems and leaves – after delivery and installation of the plant – and as such can be used as fertilizer for recultivation of the usable area and as animal feed. Clothes are made from the fibers of the pineapple leaves. New jobs are created. Thanks to REINARTZ, biomass becomes a sustainable resource!

Insect Proteins

Both as animal feed and for the human food chain, where insect proteins may officially be processed since 2018. A ground-breaking topic that we have been dealing with for a long time:

With passion, commitment, science and know-how, we have been dedicated for years to an all-in-one solution for protein recovery from insects. In the meantime, we have developed a broad, individually applicable portfolio – from targeted advice to customised engineering packages as well as complete plant designs to implementation and needs-based after-sales service. All from one provider!

Plant Proteins

On the one hand, precious food oil is obtained by gentle cold pressing. By the Reinartz process, all the aromas, essential ingredients and fat-soluble vitamins are retained in their original form during the mechanical processing.

This makes natural oils especially valuable. On the other hand, we produce so-called “press cakes” with our processes. The dry residual substance of the Reinartz pressing process contains high quality proteins, which can be used as nutritious feed in livestock breeding. Without chemical additives, first class in quality.